PORTFOLIO Colonial Intelligence 1/4

About the images

By photographing bacteria colonies confronted with challenges such as antibiotics or limited food, Tel-Aviv University professor Eshel Ben-Jacob hopes to unravel their adaptation secrets. Swirl-like vortex and branching shapes, for instance, result from the delicate balance between density requirements and nutritional needs. "When [bacteria] have hard conditions, instead of competing with one another, they act collectively," says Ben-Jacob.